After two years of meticulous testing and personal experiences, this review aims to answer a question that many have asked: which is the superior platform for booking flights, Wakanow or Travelstart? Delve into the details below for a comprehensive breakdown of Wakanow vs Travelstart.
I secured a total of four flights from both booking platforms, intending to utilize them from December 2021 to September 2022. Each ticket, two from each platform, comes with its own unique story.
Booking Experience of Wakanow vs Travelstart
Phone
| Wakanow | Travelstart |
| Their phone service is efficient. I managed to book a flight just three hours before its departure, and the lady assisting with the booking ensured to call me back when the call dropped during the confirmation of crucial details. | Phone calls to the listed number online are no longer operational. The company has shifted away from phone service and encourages customers to reach out through email, visit their office, or engage in WhatsApp chat during working hours for assistance. |
Website of Wakanow Vs Travelstart
| Wakanow | Travelstart |
| The website navigation is straightforward, but booking a ticket can be a bit unpredictable at times. On a specific date, the website proved almost useless, requiring me to call them to finalize bookings. It’s worth noting that prior bookings made on their site did not encounter the same issue. | The website is exceptionally user-friendly for navigation and booking processes. I’ve encountered no issues while making multiple bookings on the site, making it a less cumbersome option compared to many other booking platforms in Nigeria. |
Email of Wakanow Vs Travelstart
| Wakanow | Travelstart |
| The email service provided a satisfactory experience. It took approximately 15 minutes to receive a response when I requested a date change for my flight. The entire email conversation took less than 1 hour to conclude and finalize my booking changes | Email service with Travelstart is both time-consuming and costly. Response time typically ranges between 6 to 24 hours. Given the constant fluctuation in ticket prices, relying on Travelstart for time-sensitive issues is not recommended. In a particular case where I needed assistance, the ticket price had surged by #1.5M by the time they responded to my inquiry. What adds to the challenge is that, at times, the Whatsapp service line necessitates waiting for their emailed response. Since they don’t offer phone call services, you’re left with the option of hoping for a swift resolution or finding a way to visit their office. |
Chat (Whatsapp) of Wakanow Vs Travelstart
| Wakanow | Travelstart |
| I briefly utilized the chat service, receiving the initial response in approximately 1 hour. Unlike Travelstart, my ticket change request didn’t require waiting for an email from a separate service team. Within 15 minutes of making my request, I received information on ticket availability. Despite not completing the booking process via chat, the email team proved slightly faster than the WhatsApp team. | The chat service exhibited varying response times, ranging from 5 minutes to 1 hour. However, in some instances, a greeting is swiftly followed by a goodbye message before one can respond. Unfortunately, I encountered some staff members who were quite rude. My initial experience with them was problematic, as I missed a flight due to Travelstart providing inaccurate flight times. Despite presenting emails as evidence, the responses were accusatory and dismissive. It necessitated reaching out to someone in upper management to obtain satisfactory answers. Furthermore, ticket change requests are placed in a queue, and responses are delivered via email, a process that typically takes at least 24 hours. In contrast, Wakanow handles the same process in real-time on WhatsApp. |
Price Accuracy/Transparency of Wakanow Vs Travelstart
| Wakanow | Travelstart |
| The prices showcased on their website occasionally differ significantly from those quoted over the phone. Additionally, prices provided over the phone vary from those offered via email. This inconsistency in the pricing system can be confusing. To navigate this, I utilized each communication channel to compare rates and ultimately chose the option that provided the lowest fare. There is a need for them to streamline their system. It’s worth noting that they automatically include fees for extra paid services, requiring customers to be cautious and uncheck them. However, in contrast to Travelstart, their additional fees are more transparent. | The checkout price for certain tickets displayed inconsistency, with a noticeable increase of about #20,000 despite the lack of add-ons. Efforts to resolve this discrepancy proved unsuccessful. Additionally, it’s irksome that careful attention is required when finalizing booking details, as extra paid add-ons are automatically included in the cart without explicit consent. |
Payment Handling of Wakanow Vs Travelstart
| Wakanow | Travelstart |
| For budget-conscious travelers, Wakanow provides a ‘pay small small’ service, enabling them to secure bookings with an initial down payment and then pay in manageable monthly installments. Payments can be conveniently made through instant card payments, bank transfers, or at designated local banks. However, on the payment page, there lack of clear information regarding the duration within which customers need to confirm the bank payment process before the quoted price expires. | While a monthly payment plan is not available, Travelstart offers various payment options, including instant card payments, bank transfers, transactions at specified local banks, or in-person payments at their office in Lagos. However, there is a lack of clear information on the payment page regarding the timeframe within which a customer must confirm the bank payment process before the quoted price expires. |
Booking Resolution & Customer Service of Wakanow Vs Travelstart
In my perspective, the genuine test of a company lies in how it manages issues when plans deviate from the expected course. Traveling can be a challenging experience, with plans often changing, requiring adjustments to your ticket. Since airlines typically do not address issues with tickets booked through agents, you find yourself dependent on the booking platform.
The efficacy of how they handle such situations dictates whether they are a reliable choice for future purchases. So, between Wakanow and Travelstart, which one proves to be more adept at managing and resolving issues?Wakanow Travelstart Changing my ticket return date turned out to be a surprisingly painless and swift experience. The individuals I communicated with through phone, email, and WhatsApp were both timely and professional. Despite entering this process with concerns about potential terrible customer care or exorbitant fees, the experience proved surprisingly smooth, and I did not feel cheated throughout the entire process Travelstart appears to embody a nickel-and-dime culture, where they attempt to extract every penny from customers, even when the fault lies with them. The first issue arose when I missed a flight due to an error on their part. Filing a complaint through chat resulted in multiple rude and dismissive responses, necessitating calls to upper management for resolution.
The second issue occurred when I decided to change a flight date due to the airline canceling the second leg of the journey. Despite receiving an email from the airline outlining complementary options, Travelstart insisted on charging me millions, contrary to the airline’s offer and the circumstances. Resolving this matter took four months and required going outside their chain of command.
On the day of the flight, I was denied entry because Travelstart had made another error on the ticket. Missing the flight, they rudely demanded about 400k for the next-day flight. Once again, it took calls to upper management to resolve the issue. No apologies or compensation were offered for the incurred expenses and inconvenience.
Which is the Better Booking Platform, Wakanow or Travelstart?
So, when comparing Wakanow and Travelstart based on my experience, Wakanow emerged as the superior travel booking platform in terms of services rendered. Dealing with booking issues on Travelstart was, honestly, a nightmare, and in certain instances, it felt like I was being scammed by their team. It was disheartening to spend months contacting airlines directly to ensure compliance with ticket policies.
As of January 2023, I’ve been attempting to resolve another ticket issue with Travelstart since August 2022, a process that has proven quite challenging.
Despite encountering negative reviews on both Wakanow and Travelstart, the disparity in numbers is noteworthy. Trustpilot rates Wakanow at 2 stars based on only 15 reviews, while Travelstart holds a 1.2-star rating with 591 reviews.
When considering which is safer to book with, Wakanow or Travelstart, it becomes a matter of risk preference. In a lighthearted tone, one might say it’s like gambling with your money. However, if faced with the decision, I would personally opt for Wakanow.
Safest Method of Booking Airline Tickets in Nigeria
While my experience with Wakanow was predominantly positive, the safest approach to booking a flight ticket in Nigeria is by directly purchasing from the airline’s website. While I acknowledge the role of travel agents in earning a livelihood, the lack of accountability in the Nigerian travel space is a concerning aspect. Despite having written policies, there is a significant risk of financial loss because airlines typically do not intervene in bookings made through third-party platforms or agents.
Handling airline ticket changes or refunds must be managed through the agency where the ticket was originally purchased. Even when the airline’s policy offers certain services for free, the agency may still impose exorbitant charges.
My advice to travelers booking tickets from Nigeria is to bypass potential challenges and buy directly from the airline. Perhaps this shift in consumer behavior will prompt agents and major booking platforms to reconsider their service strategies and prioritize fair treatment of their customers.
If you’ve had experiences with either company, feel free to share your insights.
Update
The team from Travelstart reached out and refunded the amount lost from my Royal Air Maroc ticket after seeing this review.
2 Comments
Wakanow over Travelstart for me. Wakanow is also always cheaper than Travelstart.
Don’t even get me started on the customer service of Travelstart, worse if you have a weekend or late night flight time issue, you are on your own.
I’ve been receiving messages from other travelers sharing their terrible Travelstart experiences. Such a disappointment.